Automobile aerial navigator.



No 838,673. PATENI'ED DEC. 18, 1906.

G. M. WEST.

AUTOMOBILE AERIAL NAVIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.30.1906. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

No. 838,673. PATENTBDDEG. 18, 1906.

' G. M. WEST.

AUTOMOBILE AERIAL NAVIGATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAE.30, 1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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GEORGE M. 'WEST, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE AERIAL NAVIGATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application March 30, 1906. Serial N0,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. WEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los 'Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Aerial Navigators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in aerodromes and the object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character, which I have designated an automobile aerial navigator, embodying improvements for adjusting the parts to correspond to the conditions existing or the purposes to be attained.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts in section of my improved aerodrome. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the means for adjusting the wings. Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating in front elevation the means for changing the pitch of the propelling-blades. Fig. 5 is a sectional view thereof. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view illustrating the means for adjusting the gill-sails.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The gas-bag l of my improved apparatus comprises a transversely-oblong body provided with two laterally-extending portions 2, constituting wings or planes and connected to the body portion of the air-bag by a bel-. lows construction 3. The entire air-bag is preferably constructed of suitable thin and light gas-proof material, such as oiled silk covered with netting, and embodies a series of vertical stays 4, which imparts to it the desired shape. Suspended from the gas-bag 1 is a hull 5, which is of substantially ship form in cross-section and, with the gas-bag, produces a structure simulating the form of a bird. The hull 5 is provided with suitable compartments arranged, preferably, in sup erposed relation and intended for the reception of passengers and their baggage, for the installation of the motor and driving mechanism, and for the accommodation of the steering and adjusting mechanisms. shaft 6 is arranged to actuate the propellers by means of chains or belts 7, extending around pulleys or sprocket-wheels 8 on the propeller-shafts 9. The propellers are preferably four in number arranged in two pairs at opposite sides of the hull, one in advance of the other, and are preferably so arranged that one pair at one side may be driven independently of the other pair, so as to assist in changing the course of the machine. Mounted upon the ends of each of the shafts 9 is an adjusting-disk 10. (Shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5.) Each disk 10 is provided with three concentric grooves, of which the innermost groove 11 is circular, the outermost groove 12 is only a portion of a circle, and the intermediate groove 13 segmental and of a length to approximately complete the circle omitted by the groove 12. It is to be understood, however, that the groove 13 is out of alinement, but concentric to the groove 12. In the groove 11 are two projecting lugs 14. The propeller-blades 15 are mounted on stems 16, that are all revolubly held in a rotatable support 17, said support being mounted to turn with the shaft 9, while the disk 10 is loose on said shaft and is normally held from turning therewith. The stems 16 of the blades 15 are provided at their inner ends with spur-pinions 18 and adjacent said ends with two sets of pins 19 and 20, one set extending at right angles to the other set, as indicated best in Fig. 4. The spur-pinions 18 are located in the circular groove 11, while the pins 19 and 20 are designed to travel in the grooves 13 and 12, respectively.

As the shaft 9 is rotated, carrying the sup port 17 and the blades 15 with it, the stems 16 will be carried around until their pinions 18 strike one or the other of the lugs 14, whereupon a feathering or axial-turning movement will be imparted to the stems, so as to throw them from a position with their flat sides facing the air to a position where their edges will cut the wind. The pins 19 and 20, working in the grooves 13 and 12, are intended to maintain the blades and stems in the position to which they are turned by the lugs 14.

The two disks 10 on one side of the machine are connected together by means of The drivingcords or the like 21, fastened to upper and lower cars 22, formed on the respective disks, and a handle 23 is provided to actuate the cords. By means of these cords the said two disks may have their positions changed to change the positions of the lugs 14 with respect to the longitudinal. In one position of the disk one lug 14 will throw each blade from an edge-facing position to the flat position as soon as it comes to the horizontal, while'the other pin near the bottom of the disk will again reverse the blade when it reaches the lower vertical position. Hence it will be understood that when it is desired to work the blades for the purpose of assisting in the lifting or rising action of the machine the disks 10 are so held that the blades will present their flat faces to the air as they rotate only on a downward movement between the horizontal and the lower vertical positions and will present their edges to the wind during the remainder of their revolution. By changing the position of the disks the flat sides of the blades may be held toward the wind by the lower vertical position to the horizontal position in the upward swing, and thereby cause the blades to assist in the propelling or forward movement of the machine.

The forward end of the hull simulates the head of a bird and is provided with a combsail 41 and with gill-sails 42; that may be manipulated from the inner side of the hull for assisting in steering either to the right or left or up and down. As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the means for moving or adjusting these sails is constituted by mounting the sails upon shafts 43, to which are secured pulleys 24, actuated by cables 25 passing into the hull, as best shown in Fig. 1. The rear end of the hull is provided with a tail-rudder 26, connected to the body portion by a bellows construction 27, and is also provided with a keel 28 and the tail-sails 29. The tailrudder 26 and tail-sail 29 may also be pitched to one side or the other for the purpose of steering by being mounted upon a vertical shaft 30, actuated by pulleys and cords 31, extending into the hull.

The wings 2 preferably embody frameworks 32 of split bamboo or similar light material, the central or main rod of which is swiveled in the upper end of the hull, as indicated at 33, so that each wing may be moved up and down or rearwardly and forwardly, as desired. Such motions are effected by an extension 34 of the main part of the framework, said extension being secured to and adjusted by a crank 35. The end of each extension 34 is mounted in an oblique guide 36, mounted at the side of the hull, so that as the extension 34 is raised or lowered by the crank 35 it will at the same time be moved forwardly or backwardly. The wings 2 are also provided with converging ropes or guy-cables 37, which are connected to different points in the expanse of the wings and are attached to a common actuating-cable 38, which extends over the grooved pulley 39, suitably mounted within the hull.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a gas-bag having a substantially oblong body portion and two laterally-extending portions constituting wings, a bellows construction between the wing portions of the back and the body portions thereof, a hull suspended by said gas-bag and provided with propellers and means for actuating the same, supporting-frameworks for the wings, and means whereby either wing may be adjusted up and down or forwardly and rearwardly, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus of the character described, simulating the form of a bird, and comprising a gas-bag having a substantially oblong body portion and two adjustable wing portions and provided with a series of vertical stays and bellows construction connecting the wings to the body portion, means for adjusting the wings, a hull supported by the gasbag, and propelling devices carried in said hull.

3. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a hull, propellers carried by said hull, means for driving said propellers, the propellers being arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the hull, a gas-bag from which the hull is suspended, said gas-bag being provided with two lateral extensions constituting wings adjustably connected to its body portion, and adjusting-cables connected to said wings.

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a-hull, propellers carried by said hull, means for driving said propellers, the propellers being arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the hull, a gas-bag from which the hull is suspended, said gas-bag being provided with two lateral extensions constituting wings adjustably connected to its body portion, jointed rods secured to said wings and having a swiveled connection with the hull, arms connected to said wing-rods, and

means for adjusting said arms whereby to ally change the pitch of said blades from flat to edge positions, and means for simultaneously adjusting said disks.

6. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a gasbag, a hull suspended from said gas-bag, propelling-shafts mounted in said hull, a blade-support fixed on said shaft to turn therewith, a series of blades provided with stems carried by said support said stems being formed at their inner ends with pinions and near said ends with two sets of oppositely-extending pins, and a disk provided with three concentric grooves in which the pinions and two sets of pins are respectively designed to travel, the groove receiving the pinions being provided with lugs designed to engage with said pinions at predetermined intervals in order to turn the blades from flat to edge positions and vice versa.

'7 An apparatus of the character described, comprising a gas-bag, a hull suspended from said gas-bag, propelling-shafts mounted in said hull, a blade-support fixed on said shaft to turn therewith, a series of blades provided with stems carried by said support said stems being formed at their inner ends with pinions and near said ends with two sets of oppositely-extending pins, a disk provided with three concentric grooves in which the pinions and two sets of pins are respectively designed to travel, the groove receiving the pinions being provided with lugs designed to engage with said pinions at predetermined intervals in order to turn the blades from fiat to edge positions and vice versa, and means for changing the position of said disk whereby to vary the points at which the blades are turned.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE M. WEST. 

